Applied for a 1-hour course: NC CIE, CPE, CFP.  There will be no CLE this hour.  Attorneys, please join us at 5:00 PM for happy hour! 

3:30 pm Door Open
3:45 pm Announcements
4:00 pm Presentation
5:00 pm CE Ends, Happy Hour Begins!

Abstract:  

This 60-minute continuing education program provides financial professionals with a comprehensive, data-driven review of U.S. and global capital markets, drawing on J.P. Morgan Asset Management’s Guide to the Markets® (U.S., 2Q 2026; data as of March 31, 2026). The program opens with an examination of U.S. equity market valuations, including S&P 500 price-to-earnings levels, index concentration among the largest constituents, and performance dispersion across growth, value, and market-capitalization segments. It then reviews the U.S. economy, covering GDP composition, labor market conditions, inflation trends, tariff policy, consumer and federal government finances, and global energy markets. The session continues with an analysis of Federal Reserve policy, the interest rate outlook, the yield curve, and credit market conditions across fixed income sectors. International and global markets are addressed through regional equity valuations, currency dynamics, and economic activity momentum abroad. The program also surveys alternative asset classes — including private equity, private credit, real estate, and infrastructure — and their role within diversified portfolios. The session concludes with core investing principles, including the benefits of diversification, the impact of time horizon and compounding on long-term returns, and historical perspective on market volatility. Attendees will leave with a current, data-supported framework for client conversations regarding markets, the economy, and long-term portfolio strategy. 

Speaker: Nicholas Johnson, CIMA®

Managing Director, J.P. Morgan Asset Management

Nicholas Johnson is a Managing Director for J.P. Morgan Asset Management. An employee since 2009, Nick covers independent financial advisors in the state of North Carolina. He has been in the financial services industry for more than 18 years. Prior to J.P. Morgan, Nicholas spent five years at Rydex/Security Global Investors representing traditional and alternative mutual funds as well as ETFs and hedge fund replication strategies.

Nicholas received a Bachelor of Science from Virginia Tech’s Pamplin School of Business in Marketing Management and minored in Political Science. He attained the CIMA® designation in 2013. He lives with his wife, twelve-year-old daughter, and four-year-old son in Charlotte, NC.